The best of the week's live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy, picked from the thousands of events Chortle currently has listed. Use our search panel to check our full listings by date and region.

Sunday June 11

LONDON: New York-based comedian Gavin Matts performs in London for the first time, ahead of the release of his first hour-long special, Progression, produced by Bill Burr. He's at the Bill Murray in Islington from 9pm.

Monday June 12

LONDON: Powerhouse character comic Adam Riches brings his highly interactive show to the Soho Theatre for the week. In The Beakington Town Hall Murders, he is investigating the massacre of ten tortoises in a tombola-related prank gone wrong. All members of the Beakington council - audience members - will be grilled until the truth is discovered.

GLASGOW: Lyle The Therapy Gecko is an unlicensed lizard psychologist who travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. He has 200,000 followers on Twitch and now visits the UK for a series of dates, including Oran Mor tonight (tickets) and sold-out shows at Manchester's Frog & Bucket tomorrow, Brighton Komedia on Wednesday and London's Powerhaus on Thursday.

Tuesday June 13

BRIGHTON: Jack Whitehall kicks off his new arena tour, Settle Down, at the Brighton Centre, about accepting responsibilities as he becomes a father. He says: 'This is my most personal show yet, with plenty of material about the big changes that have happened in my life. It's about my struggle to settle down gracefully. I've got a long-term partner, a ridiculous dog and am now hurtling towards middle age without a clue. It's about a foppish man-child's cack-handed attempt at adulting!' Jack Whitehall tour dates and ticket links.

BRIGHTON: Australian comedian Rhys Nicholson brings the show that won him the top award at last year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival to the UK for a 15-date tour, kicking off at the Komedia tonight. Read our four-star review of the show here, while all the tour dates are here.

BRIGHTON: It's a busy day on the South Coast as a six-day comedy festival also kicks off at the Open Air Theatre, featuring Paul Sinha and Simon Evans tonight, and Mark Watson, John Bishop, Seann Walsh, Suzi Ruffell and more over the coming days. Listings.

Wednesday June 14

BRISTOL: Fern Brady, Isy Suttie, Jayde Adams, Josh Pugh and Phil Wang kick off another Comedy Garden festival, which brings its big top back to Queen Square, after a couple of years out on Clifton Downs. Every gig is star-studded with the likes of Jack Dee, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe, Dylan Moran, Nina Conti, Alan Davies and Tim Key among those visiting for the rest of the week. Bristol Comedy Garden listings and tickets

Thursday June 15

LONDON: VFD, a queer arts venue in Dalston, hosts quirky musical comic Jazz Emu and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Jordan Brookes, as well as Sophie Duker, Trash Salad and Freya Parker, at its monthly comedy night - entitled A Show Called Thursday - tonight,

LONDON: It's another strong weekend at the Comedy Store, featuring Felicity Ward - as soon to be seen heading the Australian version of The Office – as well as circuit faves Brennan Reece, Jarlath Regan, Josh Jones, and Ninia Benjamin.

CHELTENHAM: Matt Green might strike a chord in the heart of the Cotswolds, given he's achieved viral success with videos mocking awful Tory politicians. Also on at the Howlers gig at the Playhouse are Britain's Got Talent's Markus Birdman, affable storyteller Carl Donnelly and top compere - and Sarah Millican support act - Sally-Anne Hayward.

Friday June 16

LIVERPOOL: Well, you can't beat the setting. St Luke's Bombed Out Church hosts a Comedy Under The Stars event featuring Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Tadiwa Mahlunge and Phil Ellis tonight.

LONDON: Count Buckulees is back as Adam Buxton headlines a very impressive gig at the Hackney Empire that also includes deadpan Chloe Petts, cynical Sindhu Vee and wonderful idiot Spencer Jones.

Published: 11 Jun 2023